Anniversaries & Observations

Today is my work anniversary, and marks nine years since I began my continued and evolving journey.  Even just typing that is crazy to me! This has, by far, been my longest tenure with any organization or role I have ever held. I want to take a few moments to reflect on that here. 

Nine years ago, I ventured into a new, and seemingly unexpected role, having joined an IT Department. This was a bit of a surprise, even to me, that I was heading into that path. Always on the more creative and quirky side, I wasn't really well known for being tech savvy or for even having a technical mindset. The opportunity brought with it the promise and plan for a more clearly defined career track. Having a decent writing background, and a gravitation towards it, the most promising of all was that of an eventual transition to Business Analyst.  

Unfortunately, that never came to fruition. The roles and responsibilities I had already accumulated seemingly rested with me, and cemented my position with no real prospect of change. Around a year ago, I had grown quite weary, frustrated and honestly burnt out. By that time, one of the main duties I had assumed was managing a very demanding help desk/tech support, and with no real added support system in place. It's not natural or healthy always needing to be "On" and that sick or vacation time wasn't really my own. I'm a proponent that tech support itself is not meant to last for the long term for anyone. But even more so for someone who essentially taught themselves how to manage it overall, and without the tech savviness to start, it was even more evident that a change was necessary. 

Byt that point, our organization had transformed into a much larger one, bring on lots of change, growth and opportunity.  One of the other roles I've held for the entire nine year run was processing and managing direct mail processing - more of a Marketing than IT function. After, much consideration, I took a very scary step, and quietly inquired (through the proper channels and process) about the possibility of transitioning over to Marketing. 

After a lot of second-guessing and some nerve wracking weeks, the stars aligned and it paid off! I officially transitioned to Marketing as an analyst this past January! Although it's only been just short of a year in this role, there are a few stark differences I have observed from the start, and are so very worth mentioning. 

Appreciation Goes Along Way -  Yesterday, my newest supervisor congratulated me on my upcoming anniversary, and thanked me for all that I do. That has been the only time that's been observed and recognized in these nine years. Hard work is hard work. Time is finite. The hard work, dedication and time a person contributes to a role, and to an organization is precious. While we're compensated monetarily for our time, the time itself is something we can never get back. This is why being and hearing that you're appreciated and valued as an employee is so vital. I can, without a shadow of a doubt, say that I've heard that I am  appreciated and valued more in the last 10 months, than I did for all of the 8 years prior. That's huge, and has a tremendous impact on performance, morale and self worth. And that has its own direct effect on overall job satisfaction and retention. 

Know Your Allies - It's an unfortunate, but inevitable result of the Corporate world and that office politics and vast personalities means you won't always be aligned with certain people. It's crucial to observe and try to determine who your true allies are, and to stick with them. It could have just as easily blown up in my face when I inquired about the possible transition, But I had a sense of of who the right people were to go to with this, and that they would have my back and support me in my quest for furthering my own career. (And to those two people, H & A -  a HUGE, HUGE thank you! 😊) It's a shame we have to think this way at all, but a necessary evil when it comes to navigating human nature.

Embrace the Change...And the Past - This has always been a hard one for me, and I think it is for most people. When you're stuck in a situation that's not working for you, it can be hard to lift yourself out of the rut, and make wise choices in how you deal and cope with it. With eventually seizing on an opportunity and ushering in the changes I made for myself, I can honestly say I am much happier and content overall. I can look back now in the rear view and see how far I have come, and that it was all worth it, even if it seemed hopeless for a long time. 

Progress is not a linear construct, and does not have a definitive timeline. I can look back at that younger version of myself from nine years ago and see tremendous growth, experience and change. The role I assumed taught me to become more self-sufficient, investigative and analytical - and was really all a stepping stone to where I am today, and where I will continue to go moving forward. The past is the past, and if there is a lesson learned, a challenge overcome, or experience/new skills have been gained, it's never a mistake. 💓